The present invention relates to microreactor technology. Microreactors are commonly referred to as microstructured reactors, microchannel reactors, or microfluidic devices. Regardless of the particular nomenclature utilized, the microreactor is a device in which a moving or static target sample is confined and subject to processing. In some cases, the processing involves the analysis of chemical reactions. In others, the processing is executed as part of a manufacturing process utilizing two distinct reactants. In still others, a moving or static target sample is confined in a microreactor as heat is exchanged between the sample and an associated heat exchange fluid. In any case, the dimensions of the confined spaces are generally on the order of about 1 mm. Microchannels are the most typical form of such confinement and the microreactor is usually a continuous flow reactor, as opposed to a batch reactor. The reduced internal dimensions of the microchannels provide considerable improvement in mass and heat transfer rates. In addition, microreactors offer many advantages over conventional scale reactors, including vast improvements in energy efficiency, reaction speed, reaction yield, safety, reliability, scalability, etc.
Microreactors often comprise plural distinct fluidic microstructures that are in fluid communication with each other and are configured to execute different functions in the microreactor. For example, and not by way of limitation, an initial microstructure may be configured to mix two reactants. Subsequent microstructures may be configured for heat exchange, quenching, hydrolysis, etc, or simply to provide a controlled residence time for the mixed reactants. The various distinct microstructures must often be placed in serial or parallel fluid communication with each other. In many cases, the associated components for directing the reactants to the proper microchannels within the network can be fairly complex. Further, the components need to be configured for operation under high temperatures and pressures. As a result, microreactor configurations such as that disclosed in published international patent application WO-2007-036513 employ a variety of fluidic ducts, fittings, adapters, O-rings, screws, clamps, and other types of connection elements to interconnect various microstructures within the microreactor configuration. Each individual elements increases the complexity of the system and is a potential source of leakage or other error within the system. The present invention relates generally to the design of a microreactor assembly that reduces the use of many of the aforementioned connection elements and provides a common fluid communication platform upon which a variety of distinct microreactor structures can be supported and placed in fluid communication with each other.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a microreactor assembly is provided comprising a fluidic interconnect backbone and plurality of fluidic microstructures. Interconnect input/output ports of the fluidic interconnect backbone are interfaced with microchannel input/output ports of the fluidic microstructures at a plurality of non-polymeric interconnect seals. Interconnect microchannels are defined entirely by the fluidic interconnect backbone and extend between the non-polymeric interconnect seals without interruption by additional sealed interfaces. At least one of the fluidic microstructures may comprise a mixing microstructure formed by a molding process. Another of the fluidic microstructures may comprise an extruded reactor body. Still another fluidic microstructure may comprise a quench-flow or hydrolysis microreactor formed by a hot-pressing method.